Automatic speed-control mechanism



J. F. WEBB, IR. AUTOMATIC SPEED CONTROL. MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 9. 1919.

1,361,509, Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1919.

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JEAN IF. WEBB, JR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL SIGNAL 60., INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIG SPEED-CONTROL MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. *7, 1920.

Application filed July 9, 1919. Serial No. 309,740.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that'I, JEAN F. WEBB, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Automatic Speed Control Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for controlling the speeds of trains, which mechanism is especially designed for use in connection with the air brake system of the train.

In its generic nature the invention has for its object to provide a mechanically controlled valve device for introduction into the air brake system of the train whereby the brakes will be set at predetermined speeds of operation of the train.

The specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings has been especially designed with the object in view of supplying, at a minimum of cost for both installation and maintenance, a simple, rugged, reliable and efficient mechanical means for limiting the speed of trains to a certain definite maximum, which is predetermined by the railroad management, when track conditions, legal requirements, safety or various other reasons make such a limitation desirable or necessary. Other objects in view in designing this embodiment of the invention are freedom of annoyance to the engincman while in actual service, and reduction, tothe point of elimination, of care at the terminals so that no additional skilled labor will be required for its proper maintenance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety control valve mechanism embodying essentially an air valve movable in one direction by the influence of gravity and in the opposed direction by the influence of centrifugal force converted into rectilinear movement, more specifically the invention providing a reciprocating valve, preferably of the multi-piston type, which is operated by a centrifugal governor mechanism operating against the weight of the valve and such. additional weight as maybe necessary to effect the desired operation, with provision whereby the amount of the opposing weight may be adjusted to suit the requirements of the particular speed at which the valve is to operate.

- A preferred embodiment of the invention designed especially for maximum speed control is illustrated in the accompanying draw ings.

The device constituting the illustrated embodiment of the present invention consists of a housing suitably inclosing a series of pistons mounted on a common stem which is raised vertically by the centrifugal action by a pair of governor balls, and is lowered by the gravity of an attached weight as the lifting power of the balls is lessened. In the movements upward and downward, the pistons, which form .air chambers inside of the cylinder, connect certain ports, and disconnect other ports, through the cylinder which extends to air chambers in the housing, the latter, in turn, being connected with the air brake system of the train and the atmosphere, thus applying or releasing the air brakes, accordingto which ports are connected; the size of the weight to be lifted by the balls is variable to suit the variations of the predetermined speed, and the size of the driving pulleys or driving gears may also be varied to suit the variations of the location of the apparatus on the different types of engines.

The invention also consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of use of the invention.

Fig.2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal view partly in section of the invention, the parts being in the rest position.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position'of the parts when the maximum speed is reached.

In the drawings, like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures. 50 designates the main reservoir, 51 the equalizing reservoir, 52 the engineers valve, 53the train line in which is placed the double heading cock 54, and 55 designates the apparatus constituting the subject matter of'the presentinvention. The apparatus is inserted in the train line, preferably being looped into it just after it has passed through the floor of the cab. The particuconstruction 1 and constitute, per ee,

lar location of the device itself depends entirely upon the type of the engine on which it is. installed and" the desired method of driving the drive shaft; 56des-ignates-the whistle or audible signal and 57 designates the pressure retainingvalve while 58indicates the discharge regulator. 59 indicates the drive axle'of the engine truck. All of the parts numbered from 50 to 59, inclusive, except the part 55, are of the well-known no part of the, presentinvention.

lis that portion ofthe housingwhich con-. tains the governor balls and the regulating weight, with their. cooperating parts. 2 is that portion of the housing whichicontains the air chambers and into which is fitted the cylinder for. the pistons. 3=is the cover for the cylinder.- and. the-upper. portion of. the housing;,the sidesfor the lower. portion of the housing are. not shown. 4 is. a main driving. shaft. that isjournaled near the lower end. in. a ballTbearing 5, which. is tightly,fitted1in av recessof the housing 1, and at the upper endin the ballbearing. 6, which is tightly fitted in.a.recess inthe cover 3, bushings/Z and 8 respectively being used forv such journaling, the bushing 7 being rigidl fastenedito the shaft-4by thepin 9; these all bearings arenotabsolutely necessary, but are very. desirable. In order to drivetheshaft-4. from-the axle of the engine drive wheels, orvsome other suitable portion.of the engine,.a.-pulley. wheellO is fastened tothe-shaftx4; by the pin 11 so that, through the medium of aispring-belt, or some similar device, the shaft 4. willmake a certain number of revolutions foreachrevolution of the engines. drive wheels. Attentionis herecalledtothe'fact that any desired formof drive may-be used, the belt and pulley device being shown in the drawings to facilitate-the description. A sliding. sleeve 12, whose upper end-isjournaled intheinner. race of ball bearings 13 and whiclrhas two lateralprojections-14 'and.aslot 15, is mountedion the shaft 4,.being kept; from rotating on the shaftby the pin- 16 which is fixedly IIIOUDtBdwlIIShELft.4iLI1Cl whoseends projeetthroughandbeyond-the slot 15. Two

7 governor balls 17, each having a liftingprojeetion' 1'8 andbifurcated arms 19, r are mountedion shaft 4,,by pivoting the bifurcated arms 19 on the pin 16, so that-the ballsare permitted-to have'a vertical movement when -.rotated ,horizontally by the revolutions of shaft 4. Guides 20 are parts of the housing 1, andasliding-weight 2l (which is made in, halves thatare held together by. cap screws 22) ismounted betweenthe guides 20, being supported bythe outer; race ofthe'ball bearing 13-which islooselymounted inithe slot--23 ofi'the weight ,21. This weight. 21 is the weight: that is; varied to suit; the variations oi the [predetermined maximum! speed.

By means of slot 24 and lugs 25 engaging with projections 26 and 27 and recess 28 of the pi'stonstem 29; the weight21 supportsthe piston stem 29 and transmits its vertical movements thereto. Near its lower end, the piston stem 29 has guides 30 which guide the stem 29 through the circular opening 31* which connects the piston cylinder: with the ball and weight chamber. On the upper portion of the piston stem 29, are located the pistons 32, 33. and 34 whichare so spaced apart as. to form air. chambers which will .connect or disconnectlcertain ports in this cylinder wall according to the vertical movements of piston stem 29. These pistons are equipped with piston rings 35.so.tha ts the chambers formedbetweenthe pistons in cylinder 36 are air-tight. Cylinder-.36 is so closely. fitted in housing 2, that air. chambers 38, and46 are formed inthehousing 2. 37 is the port at whichthe train line air enters the speed control, and is-connected with the air chamber 38. Ports 39 connect chamber 38 with. the cylinder chamber formed by pistons 34 and. 33. When. the speed is below the predetermined maximum, the cylinder chamber. formed by pistons- 34; and 33 is also connected by means of ports 45, with, the air: chamber 46, which, in turn, is connected. with port 47 out. of which thetrainline air flows toward the triple valves of thezair, brake'systern. Ports 4lrconnect the cylinder. chamber formedby pistons.33 and. 32 with the air chamber 40 which, through port'42, is connected With the atmosphere: through an. audible signal whistle. 43 is aboss'limiting the downward. movement of piston. stem.

29, and 44 is abosslimitingflthe upward IDOVBIHGIltaQf the piston stem29. 48 are cap screws holding the cover, 3 on the cylinder.

36andithe housing'2. 49 is the rib of the housing dividing. the portions land 2. 50 are the tapped holes for. attaching the sides of the housing portion 1.

Operation.-

through. port. 47. into the remainder of thetrainline. Ghambers 38 and46, and ports 37 39,45 and 47. respectively, have greater areas than the feed port of the engineers:

valve, so that there is.no restriction of the flow of air. This position of. therespective parts, though constantly changing slightly as the drive shaft 4 is being driven faster. or

port 37 and chamber 38,. and.

slower according to the varying speed of the engine, permits the engineman to handle all of the standard braking apparatus in the accustomed manner without any interference whatever.

When the engine speed exceeds the predetermined maximum speed, the greater number of revolutions of drive shaft 1 increases the centrifugal action of balls 17 which lifts the several moving parts to their respective positions indicated in Fig. 1. Then the air entering at port 37 is held in the cylinder chamber between pistons 3a and 33, while the flow of air in the balance of the train line is reversed so that it enters the air chamber 46 through the port 47, passes through the ports l5 into the cylinder chamber between pistons 33 and 32 and out of this cylinder chamber through ports 41 into air chamber 40 and thence through ports 42 and the audible signal to the atmosphere, thereby reducing the train line air pressure and automatically effecting an application of the air brakes. This automatic brake application causes a prompt reduction of train speed, which, in turn, reduces the centrifugal action of the balls 17 and decreases their lifting power, so that the weight 21 gradually lowers the several pistons, and, when the train speed is once more below the predetermined maximum speed, the port 12 to the atmosphere is blanked from the port 47, and the port 4:7 is ire-connected with port 37, so that the normal air connections are reestablished, which, in turn, automatically releases the brakes and prevents further speed reduction.

Attention is called to the fact that the device is so designed that the several air pressures in the cylinder chambers always balance themselves so that there is no interference by them with the prompt action and effect of the two natural laws governing the device.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention as adapted for maximum speed control it is quite obvious that by a slight modification. the apparatus can be easily adapted for use in connection with air brake systems equipped with automatic stops. I do not wish it to be understood that I limit the use of the invention to maximum speed control but wish it to be known that the invention may be employed wherever it may be found useful.

What I claim is 1. In apparatus of the class described, a valve cylinder having air chambers, ports connecting said air chambers with the inte rior of the valve cylinder, reciprocating valves in said valve cylinder controlling the passage through said ports, said valves including a hollow open ended stem, weights connected with the stem for moving the -ing valves in one direction under the influence of gravity and a centrifugal governor device for moving said valves and weight against the action of gravity.

2. In apparatus ofthe class described, a valve casing including a valve cylinder and air chambers with ports communicating with the interior of said valve cylinder, a valve structure reciprocably mounted in said cylinder for controlling said ports and comprising valves proper and a hollow stem connecting said valves proper, a governor mechanism for operating said valves comprising'a governor casing, a weight movable in said casing under the influence of gravity and connected with said valve stem for moving said valves in one direction and a centrifugal ball governor for opposing the action of said weight to move the valves in the opposite direction.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a valve casing including a valve cylinder and air with the interior of said cylinder, a valve structure reciprocably mounted in said cylinder for controlling said ports and comprising valves proper and a hollow stem connecting said valves proper, a governor mechanism for operating said valves comprising a governor casing, a weight movable in said casing under the influence of gravity and connected with said valve stem for moving said valves in one direction, a centrifugal ball governor for opposing the action of said weight to move the valves in the opposite direction, said centrifugal ball governor comprising a driving shaft, a sleeve mounted on said driving shaft and engaging said weight, ball arms mounted on said drive shaft and cooperating with said sleeve for moving said sleeve along said drive shaft under the influence of centrifugal force, and means by which said drive shaft may be operated.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a casing having a valve chamber and a governor chamber, a port connecting said chambers, said valve chamber including a valve cylinder portion and air chambers with ports communicating with the interior of said cylinder portion, piston valves operable in said cylinder for controlling saidv ports, a hollow valve stem connecting said piston valves and projecting through the commu nicating port into the governor chamber, a weight reciprocably mounted in said governor chamber and connected with said valve stem, an operating shaft passing through said chambers and valve stem, centrifugal governor balls mounted on said drive shaft, a sleeve mounted on said drive shaft engagsaid weight and governor balls for lifting said weight and valve stem to move the valves against the action of gravity, and means whereby said shaft may be operated.

chambers with ports communicating 5. The combinationv with the air brake system of a train, of. a: speedvcontrolimech anism adapted to be connected in. the air brake system and comprising. acombined air valve and: governor mechanism, the latter comprising a multi-pistonvalvaa valve cylinder, having: ports in, communication with the train line and atmosphere governed.

by saidmulti-piston valve, and a centrifus gali ball: governor device connected" with said valve for, operating the valve against the action of; gravity, and a; weighted: memher for operating the valve by the action of; gravity, and means whereby SEtidaCGIltI'ifugal. governor may. be operated.

JEAN F. WEBB, JR; 

